Sudan's Farmers Battle Amidst Ongoing Conflict

Farmers in Sudan are struggling to plant staple crops due to a war between military factions, which is causing delays in obtaining credit from banks and high prices of key inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, and fuel. This threatens to deepen hunger and poverty in the country, with the number of people going hungry estimated to rise to 19.1 million by August. Shortages of key staples, exacerbated by looting of warehouses, could worsen the hunger crisis and cripple livelihoods. The situation is also depriving Sudan of foreign currency needed for importing basic commodities. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has started emergency distribution of seeds to cover the needs of millions of people, but farmers fear it may be too late to plant.